


Ka La Hiki Ola

by FullMetalChick



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Language, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-06 07:59:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15881865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullMetalChick/pseuds/FullMetalChick
Summary: Kalani left the Alolan Islands as a child with the intention of training in Kanto. Instead, she became one of Professor Oak's research assistants which spawned a 15-year trek across multiple regions. Now she's home and while so much is the same, so much is different. Change is on the horizon; she can feel it. How will she juggle her professional research and personal goal of finally taking the Island Challenge with the chaos that seems to be creeping into the once-peaceful islands?-On hold until I finish my other currently running story, but not abandoned.-





	1. Alola!

Kalani sighed happily as Ula’Ula Island came into clearer focus. She’d been watching the island grow larger and larger for the last hour, and now being able to make out some of Malie’s finer details filled her with a giddiness that she wasn’t entirely prepared for. She clutched the railing of the ferry, half-tempted to jump ship and swim the rest of the way to shore. The grin that split her face gained her more than one odd look, but she couldn’t really care. She was home.

While she waited for the ferry to dock and disembarking to start, Kalani pulled out her PokeDex and scrolled through her contacts. A sudden wave of nerves rushed over her as she hovered over her dad’s contact info. Sure, they’d kept in contact, but Kalani hadn’t set foot on an Alolan island in almost 15 years.

She took a breath and hit the call button, only for it to ring several times… and go straight to voicemail. A gruff voice announced, “Well, leave a message or don’t. I’ll call you back. Maybe.”

As the tone rang out, Kalani laughed right into the receiver. “Dad, I’m home and you’re the first person I wanna see, but I can’t make that happen if you don’t pick up your Dex. I’m gonna be in the city for a little bit, but I’ll be home by nightfall. Love you.”

She ended the call and scrolled through the Dex, taking in the fruits of her labors. Every single Pokemon had a completed entry, save for those native to her own homeland. She’d even had the privilege of meeting Pokemon that she could have never dreamed existed. Kalani didn’t consider herself a particularly proud woman, but the one thing she absolutely would preen over was her PokeDex. It and the Pokemon she befriended were physical proof of the amazing adventures she’d had over the last decade and a half.

Finally setting foot on the harbor, Kalani moved out of the main flow of traffic and stretched. She breathed in deeply, taking a moment to enjoy the feeling of the sun on her skin, then made the short walk to the Pokemon Center. After a quick stop at the Mart for supplies and a moment to refresh herself in the trainers’ facilities provided by the center, Kalani stepped back into the bright, Alolan sunshine and headed off to the garden. A cup of tea sounded perfect for the road.

 

 

Commotion was the last thing Kalani expected as she neared the garden. When she passed through Malie with her father as she left the islands, it was the picture of tranquility. Even the battles scattered through the area were calm. Trainers were friendly and encouraging to each other as they won and lost.

The scene she walked into was far different. Trainers were gathered en masse in the central area, engaged in what looked like desperate battles. A group of trainers, all dressed in black and white with bandanas covering the lower half of their faces, had the bulk of the combatants surrounded. 

Kalani noticed a younger trainer’s Pokemon faint and instead of letting the trainer go, the victor cornered him and wrenched the Pokeball out of the trainer’s hand, despite the boy’s tearful pleas. Kalani saw red. She tore the first ball from her belt and tossed it, a sleek Houndoom suddenly running alongside her.

“Hey!” she yelled, “You wanna steal some Pokemon?!” The masked trainer turned and focused on her, already advancing. Houndoom leapt between them, hackles raised.

“You’ll have to take these first,” she growled as Houndoom readied her first attack.

 

 

Kalani would have considered her opponent and his Pokemon with sympathy under any other circumstance. She didn’t like battling younger trainers with her older Pokemon. Houndoom was an old partner of hers and fierce to the bitter end. The kid across from her had a decent looking Drowzee, but it went down easily and the thug hightailed it out, leaving the original trainer’s Pokeball behind.

Kalani scooped it up and ran over to the little boy, who started to calm down when the ball was placed back in his hand. She knelt down, quick instructions pouring out of her, “You were very brave to battle like that, but I need you to go to the police station. You know where it is, right?” The little boy nodded quickly, still bleary-eyed but no longer crying. “Good. Run as fast as you can. We’ve got to get the police to come take care of these bad guys, yeah?” The little boy nodded again and ran off.

Kalani stood. She doubted she could wade through all of the attacking trainers on the scene, but she could at least hold some of them off. She went through a handful of battles, including a couple of matches where a thug had unfairly set two Pokemon against a trainer’s only Pokemon, helping trainers get out of the chaos where she could.

After downing the fifth thief, a voice rang out. “Hey, what the hell?! Stop interferin’ with our plans, yo!” The man it belonged to stepped out in front of her. He wore the same color scheme as the rest but had the tackiest gold chain she’d ever seen in her life around his neck. “Stop messing with my Skull grunts, girlie! You want a beating that bad?!”

“Girlie?” Kalani laughed, which only seemed to piss him off. “I’m flattered and you’re out of your depth, if your ‘grunts’ are anything to go by.”

“Fine! One fresh beat down for the girlie from yours truly! It’s ya boy, Guzma!” He tossed an Ultra Ball out. It produced a hulking insect, which she assumed was an Alolan native.

The ridiculous-looking boss got the first hit as he called out First Impression. Kalani ordered Houndoom to counter with Crunch, and she did after shaking off the blow. The Pokemon went down with a sickening cracking sound and went back to its ball.

If Guzma was ticked before, he was incensed now. He pulled another Ultra Ball and a Masquerain flitted out. He gritted out an order, but Kalani and Houndoom outpaced the other duo with a Flamethrower that also downed the opponent in a single sweep.

Kalani watched as the man started screaming bloody murder. “How dare you, yo?! If we can’t beat you down in a battle, we’ll just beat you down the old-fashioned way! Come on, boys!” He advanced with a small group of grunts and Kalani ordered Houndoom back into her ball, despite the Pokemon’s obvious protests.

Kalani’s head whipped around wildly as she was backed into a corner. Where were the police?! Her back hit the wall of the tea house and she reached for the second-to-last ball on her belt. She tentatively pulled it, finger over the mechanism.

“Don’t do this!” She warned.

Guzma laughed. “And why not, girlie?”

“Because I’ll light this whole place up if I have to.”

He grinned. “You got guts, girlie, but no way out.” Guzma laughed again as the group stalked even closer. Kalani clenched her jaw as she pressed the release on the ball.

Static ripped through the air, setting everyone’s hair on end. A screech rang out as a long, familiar beak came to rest over her left shoulder. As Guzma’s grin shrank, Kalani’s grew.

“What the fuck is that thing?!”

Kalani’s hand rose to lovingly caress the giant bird’s beak. “Get out of here, and you won’t have the misfortune of finding out.” The yellow and black bird stared the gang down and cried again. That broke the spell, as Guzma and the few grunts following him fled the garden. She faintly heard Guzma’s shouts just as the police entered the scene. They swept through the stragglers, quickly restoring order.

She turned with a tired smile and ran her fingers through the feathers on Zapdos’s neck. “Thank you, friend.” The bird fluffed its spiky feathers, cawing softly as it accepted the quick pats before Kalani returned it to its ball. She let Houndoom out again, who leapt out with hackles still raised. She calmed down and Kalani knelt to pet the canine. “And thank you, sweet girl.” The Houndoom licked her face happily before returning to its ball.

Kalani stood again and turned to leave the garden.

“Kalani!” A gruff voice made her head snap up and before she knew it, her feet were sprinting. To her ears, the voice was a perfect match to the grizzled, gray-haired cop.

She stopped in front of the man and didn’t even give him a chance to speak. Ruby eyes slid closed as she engulfed the man in a tight hug.

“Dad! I’ve missed you so much!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just finished Sun and Moon, so I'm late to the Guzma party. I'm still going to write this, even if I'm just throwing it to the ether. If there's anyone out there that wants to beta this mess, let a girl know. Goodness knows I could use the help. Hahaha.
> 
> The scene with Zapdos was inspired by Surfacage's "And the World Will Turn to Ash". It's an unbelievably beautiful comic, and the panel I'm referencing is just so striking. Check it out if comics are your jam.
> 
> I almost certainly will come back to this, decide it's trash, and do a rewrite. Hahaha.


	2. 'Ohana

Kalani thought maybe her smile was now a permanent fixture to her face. Nanu pulled her back by the shoulders. “Let me get a good look at you, girl.”

She worried her lip as Nanu studied her. Silence stretched between them. Kalani chanced a quiet “Hey, Dad.” 

A small smile cracked Nanu’s face. “Hey, kiddo. I missed you.”

Tears welled in Kalani’s eyes and she blinked them back quickly. “Missed you too, Dad.”

“Eh, Kahuna, this really your little girl?” Another officer walked up to the pair. “Yeah, got those same eyes alright. Well, we cleared out the rest of those thugs, Kahuna Nanu.” The officer nodded at Nanu and then Kalani before walking off. “Alola, cousin, and welcome home!”

Kalani cocked her head. “Kahuna?...”

“Well, you aren’t the only one with a few tales to tell.” Nanu grinned. “Let’s get you home and we can swap stories.”

“Sounds good, Dad. But Houndoom could use a quick stop at the Center,” Kalani smiled as she followed him out of the garden.

“Houndoom, huh? You’ll have to show me that one.”

Kalani nodded as they entered the Center. The nurse at the counter greeted her cheerfully and took her Pokemon. Kalani smiled as each of her companions’ pictures flashed on the screen.

Kalani heard a hum behind her as the nurse returned her Pokemon. “What is it?”

“I can’t believe you have a dog as your party leader.”

Kalani laughed. “First, there’s a cat in the party, so chill. Second, that’s the Pokemon you’re concerned about? Third, Houndoom’s a dark/fire type. You’re gonna love her even if she is a dog.”

“Hmm, we’ll see. So long as she doesn’t start chasing the Meowths, I guess she’ll be fine.”

“She won’t. We’ve been together a long time, so she generally listens if I ask her to do something.”

“Generally?” Nanu raised an eyebrow.

“Well, she’s super protective so if she thinks I’m in trouble, she tends to do what she thinks is best.” Kalani laughed again as they left the Center and headed out of town.

“Good dog, I guess.”

 

 

Kalani smiled as she stepped into the house behind the police station and was swarmed by the Alolan Meowths her dad loved so much. “Guys, guys, easy!” She laughed, gently peeling a particularly clingy one off her pant leg.

Nanu chuckled. “Guess I’m not the only one that missed you. Go put your stuff in your room and then introduce me to your team.”

Kalani nodded and headed to her old room. She opened the door and was surprised by how clean everything was. Her bag was quickly tossed on the bed and she stepped back out into the main area.

“So, is this the team you prefer traveling with or what?”

“Not really.” Nanu raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“Well, I told you I was hired on as a research assistant by Professor Oak when I was in Kanto. The specialization he assigned me to was morphology. So it’s my responsibility to catch and study as many different Pokemon as I can, including multiple Pokemon who have different forms, if necessary.” She laughed. “Long story short, I have a lot of Pokemon and I don’t want to neglect any of them. So, I have a different team every day.” She smiled as she pulled Houndoom’s ball from her belt and released the dog.

“This is Houndoom. She’s native to Johto.” Kalani smiled as the dog took a quick sniff of the air and whuffed softly before sitting next to her. “See, told you she’s a good girl.” The hound looked up at Kalani and nudged her hand on top of her head, silently begging for pats. “The only reason the Meowths may not like her is because she absolutely will compete with them for your attention.” Houndoom boofed as if to agree and Kalani laughed.

She pulled the next ball and a small, pink Pokemon floated out. “Aromatisse is from Kalos, so she’s one of my newest partners.” The Pokemon fluffed her fur vainly before settling on the edge of the table. “She’s a little sassy, but she listens to reason. Wasn’t always like that, though.”

Nanu chuckled as the little thing turned her nose up with a smirk before returning to her grooming. “I see. Who’s next?”

Kalani released the next one, a hulking white and green Pokemon that made Nanu grateful for the slightly higher ceilings in their house. “Abomasnow is from Sinnoh. She looks scary, but she’s actually a huge softy.” The Pokemon in question saw the couch and immediately made herself comfortable, sitting across from Nanu like she’d always belonged there.

“Liepard is from Unova.” Kalani smiled as her father took an obvious interest in the sleek feline that stretched lazily upon being released. She brushed against Kalani’s leg a couple of times before making herself at home in one of the empty Pokemon beds nearby.

“Guess you’re all tired from today, huh?” Nanu laughed.

Kalani nodded as she pulled the next ball. “Okay, Dad. I need you to not freak out over the next one. Seriously. It’s not a threat, but… Yeah, you’ll see.”

She released the large yellow and black bird, feeling the air crackle again before quickly dissipating. “This is Zapdos. We met in Kanto, so it’s the oldest partner I have with me today.”

“You can relax, Kalani. I’ve met one of the Tapu. I know a legendary creature when I see it.”

The bird in question looked around, currently at ease, but looking no less severe. She patted the spiky neck feathers as it sized her father up then lifted a wing to preen underneath. Kalani breathed out a sigh of relief she didn’t know she was holding. “Sorry. It’s not exactly the friendliest to new people.”

“Few legendaries are. I’m far from offended.”

Kalani smiled as she released the last one. “Lilligant is also from Unova.” She smiled down at the Pokemon as it immediately reached up for her. Kalani knelt to sit and Lilligant wasted no time in crawling in her lap.

“Spoiled, much?” Nanu chuckled.

“Yeah. I carried her around a lot when she was a Petilil, so she still expects that.” Kalani laughed. “It’s a little harder now that she’s two feet taller and twenty pounds heavier, but she still fits on my lap. She accepts that as a compromise.” Lilligant smiled brightly as she curled up with her little petal hands cradling the head now laying on Kalani’s thigh.

Houndoom gently pushed Lilligant’s feet aside to rest her head on Kalani’s other thigh while Aromatisse started playing with her hair from her seat on the table.

“If these six are anything to go off of, you’ve done right by your Pokemon.”

“I try. I want them to be happy. They’ve been my closest friends for a long time.”

“Any human friends?”

“Yeah!” She smiled. “I started out in Kanto around the same time as Red and Blue. I also met Kris and Silver in Johto. I don’t see them super often anymore, but there is a champion’s summit once a year that everyone is pretty faithful about going to. Kind of like a class reunion, I guess.”

“But what about you? I heard that cop call you ‘Kahuna’! Is that for real?”

Nanu chuckled. “Yeah. No clue what the Tapu saw in me, but when it calls, you answer.”

“How long ago was that?”

Nanu put his chin in his hand and thought. “I’ve been a Kahuna for about ten years, I guess.”

“Ten years?! I’ve called you at least once a week ever since I left home and you never thought to tell me that?!”

Nanu shrugged. “Guess it slipped my mind.”

“Dad!” Kalani laughed. “Well, congrats! Do I have to call you ‘Kahuna Nanu’ or is ‘Kahuna Dad’ okay?” 

“Plain old ‘Dad’ is fine,” he laughed. “So why come back to Alola now?”

“Professor Oak wants me to gather data on the Pokemon native to Alola, especially the ones that adapted to the islands from a previously known species. I’ve also done all of the other major leagues, so I really want to do the island challenge, even if I’m not the typical age. I have a meeting with a Professor Kukui tomorrow morning on Melemele to get everything set up.”

Nanu nodded. “Have you been so busy all this time?”

“Kind of. I’ve definitely had vacation days, and I won’t lie. I took an extended vacation in the Orange Islands after the I finished the league there. I really wanted to come home then, but I didn’t have the money to. Those islands were closer and they reminded me a little of home, so I took some time there.”

Nanu nodded. “Now.” He leaned forward, one elbow on the couch arm. “Care to tell me what you were doing in Malie Garden with Team Skull?”

“Actually, I just wanted a cup of tea before I headed here, so I stopped by. I wasn’t expecting to end up in the middle of it either. Stealing Pokemon? Is that really a thing in Alola now?”

Nanu nodded. “They’ve been active for a few years now. It used to be pretty petty crime, but they’ve started escalating.”

Kalani’s face twisted in a scowl. “That’s awful. Well, Houndoom and I gave a few of the lackeys a show. I think we met the boss, too. He was pretty confident about his team, but Houndoom took them down pretty quickly.” Kalani took a breath. “I got scared right before you showed up. Instead of running off, he and a few of his grunts cornered me at the teahouse. They were just planning to beat me up and take my Pokemon anyway.”

“What?!” Nanu’s eyes narrowed. “How’d you get out of that?”

“I let Zapdos out. It’s frightening even when it’s in a good mood. It scared them off for me.” The bird in question cawed proudly behind her.

“Well, Guzma and his crew certainly aren’t good news. You steer clear of them, you understand me?”

“No promises, Dad.” She shrugged. “I’m your kid. I can’t let bad guys do bad things if I can help stop them.”

Nanu shook his head. “Just be careful, please.”

“I will, Dad.” She patted Lilligant and Houndoom gently so she could get up. “Mind if I go ahead and hit the hay? I have to catch the first ferry to Melemele in the morning.”

“Sure. You know where the fridge is if you get hungry.”

“Thanks. Night, Dad.” Kalani hugged the man as he stood up. “Come on, gang. Bedtime.”

“You’re not gonna put them up for the night?”

“Nah.” She smiled. “I always let them stay out with me, even if it makes things cramped.”

Kalani heard her father mutter something about being spoiled as her team followed her to her room and settled down for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't guarantee how frequent chapter updates will be because I'm a trash gremlin that's also trying to get her degree, but I'm shooting for at least once a week, homework and observation hours permitting.
> 
> Also, wow, these chapters look a lot longer in Word. I need to channel my inner Charles Dickens. Lol.


	3. Ho'okipa

Nanu knocked on the door softly the next morning. “Kalani?” He waited a few moments without an answer, so he pushed the door open slowly and reached for his PokeDex, snapping a quick picture of what he saw.

Kalani was sound asleep on her bed, but instead of a pillow, her head was resting on Liepard’s stomach. Houndoom was curled up at her feet, while Aromatisse was tucked under her arm and Lilligant’s head rested on her stomach. Abomasnow was sprawled out, face down on the carpet next to the bed, clutching the missing pillow, the small trees on its back rising and falling in time with its soft snores. Zapdos was roosting on the table across from the bed, the only inhabitant of the room that was awake. Nanu recognized the blanket underneath it. Kalani must have piled it up for the large bird’s comfort.

A single eye slid open and peered up at him. Nanu spoke quietly, “Thank you for yesterday.” The bird, apparently placated, settled down and Nanu picked his way around Abomasnow to gently shake Kalani awake. “Breakfast is on the table and you have a ferry to catch.”

The sole human in the pile on the bed yawned and stretched, causing a chain reaction that ended with Abomasnow sitting up and nearly knocking Nanu over. She tried to make amends by grabbing his leg to steady him.

“Alright. Thanks,” Kalani said with a sleepy smile. “We’ll be out in a few minutes.”

Nanu nodded and left the room while Kalani got her team up and ready for the day.

 

 

After both humans and the multitude of Pokemon were fed, Nanu called a Ride Charizard to take them back to the city. Kalani ducked into the Center quickly to change out her team. “Be good for the professor!”

Kalani left the Center and made the short walk to meet Nanu at the dock.

“It was good to have you home, even if just for a night,” he said as he hugged her.

“Don’t worry, Dad. Now that I’m back on the islands, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me in person.” She smiled, adjusting the strap of her backpack.

“I’ll hold you to that. Go on, the ferry’s boarding now.”

Kalani smiled and hugged him again before walking up the gangplank. She waved as the ferry departed and until she was out of sight.

“Wish you could see our girl now.” Nanu shook his head with a short sigh and walked off.

 

 

The ferry ride was longer today, which gave Kalani plenty of time to worry over her meeting with Professor Kukui. He was apparently a newer professor, and while Kalani had never known any professor to be unkind, she still always expected to be turned away at the gate. Even with being one of Professor Oak’s assistants, she realized that it was still a lot to ask of a region’s professor. Their primary concern was getting new, young trainers started on their journeys. 

This often meant that Kalani would have to wait for starter Pokemon to become available. All the kids had to be accounted for first, which didn’t really bother her aside from the fact that it meant starting her research in the region later. If that was the case here, at least she was home. If she had to wait, she’d just go back to Ula’Ula, which really wasn’t a problem at all.

Kalani was also hoping that the meeting to approve the start of her island challenge went smoothly. Professor Kukui offered to introduce her to the Kahuna responsible for getting challengers started. She hoped he wouldn’t take one look at her and laugh her off the island.

She looked out to the ocean, trying to focus on the waves instead of her concerns. She wouldn’t know until she actually met them, right?

 

 

A couple of hours later, the ferry arrived in Hau’oli. Kalani left the docks and pulled up the directions to Professor Kukui’s lab. They were pretty straightforward, and the professor had even said it was difficult to get lost between the city and his lab.

The walk wasn’t terribly long, nor was it particularly hot with the constant sea breeze and the fact that it was still somewhat early in the morning. Sure enough, Professor Kukui’s lab was easy to find. The small house sat on the shore of a rather pretty bay and Kalani looked around for a moment before stepping onto the porch and knocking at the door.

Kalani heard the sounds of a scuffle before the door was wrenched open by a man wearing an open lab coat with no shirt, sweats, a ball cap, and a blinding grin.

“…Professor Kukui?...”

“Alola, cousin! You must be Kalani!” Yep, that was definitely the voice she’d heard over her Pokedex. She was accustomed to the lax, casual nature of Alola as a kid. It was nothing to see people strolling around far less clothed than in other areas of world, partially due to the hotter climate. She wasn’t exactly prepared for a professor to embrace that particular aspect of Alolan culture, though.

Kalani nodded dumbly as Kukui ushered her inside. A small, brown canid Pokemon was running around inside, still intent on causing a ruckus.

“Rockruff!” Kukui chided gently, and the Pokemon in question settled down a little, tail thumping wildly on the floor. “Sorry ‘bout that, cousin.”

“No problem at all,” Kalani waved her hand. “Thank you for meeting with me.”

“Of course! Us professors and researchers gotta help each other out, yeah? Professor Oak said you’re researching morphology?” Kalani nodded quickly.

“Pretty neat, cousin! I’m researching moves myself. So, tell me what your goals and expectations are while you’re here.”

“Well, my primary goal is to fill out this region’s Pokedex, complete with examples of any variations in form. I’m not focused on sexual dimorphism except in extreme examples, like how male and female Meowstic have completely different coat patterns.”

Kukui nodded. “And what are your expectations?”

“Oh, um. Well, I usually ask for one of each of the regional starters, so long as it doesn’t conflict with young trainers getting their first Pokemon. I understand that’s asking a lot, so I can pay for the expense of it.”

“Hmm.” Kukui crossed his arms while he thought. “Well, the festival in Iki Town to welcome the new trainers on their challenge is tonight. We’ve got a pretty decent number of starters ready to go, but it depends on how many kids show up. I can’t guarantee you anything until then.”

“That’s alright! I just appreciate you even considering my request.”

“Of course, cousin! Anything else?”

“No, Professor. I try to be self-sufficient,” Kalani laughed a little.

“Ah, no need to call me ‘Professor’. Kukui is just fine. ‘Professor’ makes me feel old.” He laughed. “Now, speaking of Iki Town, let’s get you up the road to meet Ol’ Hala.”

 

 

The walk to Iki Town was a little less pleasant than Kalani’s earlier walk, but it still wasn’t awful. The small village at the end of the walk was charming. There were three houses at the lower level, and then up a half flight of stairs was a much larger house. A large training ring sat in front. An older man was moving through what looked like martial art forms with a handful of Pokemon.

“Hey, Hala!” Kukui called, waving, as they crested the stairs.

The man’s head snapped to them and he broke his stance while the Pokemon continued. He walked over to the pair. “Good morning, Kukui! Is this our guest?”

Kalani dipped her head slightly as she shook Hala’s outstretched hand. “Kalani. Pleased to meet you, Kahuna Hala.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re Nanu’s kid, right?” He nodded as he continued, “And you’re here on Professor Oak’s behalf to study Alolan Pokemon. But those two things don’t really concern me. So tell me, why do YOU want to do the island challenge?”

“Well, sir, I feel like training and researching are two sides of the same coin. I feel like I’m a stronger trainer because of my background in research and that I’m a more competent, thorough researcher because of my experiences as a trainer.” Kalani paused, linking her hands together in front of her. “On a personal level, the island challenge is so unique in comparison to the other regions’ leagues, and I’d really like to experience it for myself. I grew up on these islands, watching older kids pass through on their challenge.”

“I see. Hmm,” Hala cradled his chin in his hand. “I approve your challenge, so long as you approach it in the way any newcomer would. I cannot make you forget your prior experience, but I do request that you only use Pokemon you catch here.”

Kalani nodded quickly, smiling. “That sounds great! Thank you so much, Kahuna Hala!”

The kahuna grinned. “I won’t make you participate in the festival tonight since it’s geared toward helping young trainers have their first battle, but I do expect you to attend. On that note, I have preparations to finish.” Hala nodded kindly before walking off.

“Same here,” Kukui chimed in. “Kalani, the young trainers will get their Pokemon at the festival tonight. You can meet me back at the lab tomorrow morning to pick yours up.” She followed him back down the route and parted ways, heading back to Hau’oli to get some shopping in.

 

 

Alola at dusk was incomparably beautiful in Kalani’s mind. Whether it was true, her own feelings of nostalgic bias, or some combination of the two didn’t really matter much to her. She stepped out of the shop, breathing in deeply. As she passed by the beachfront she stopped to take in the purple and orange sky reflecting in the waves that lapped the shore. The sea breeze was crisp and briny, a scent that would follow her nearly all the way to Iki Town.

Kalani was grateful for the change of clothing as she trekked back to the little village. The soft, black v-neck shirt and pleated shorts were much more appropriate for the islands than the pants and long-sleeved shirt she’d worn from Kalos. She’d also pulled the hair back from her face in a pathetic attempt at a bun. That plus the slight drop in temperature made for a very pleasant walk. She smiled at the sounds of Pokemon rustling around in the tall grass. Kalani hoped desperately that at least one starter would be left for her in the morning. The possibilities of what could be waiting for her in those patches was just as tempting as it was on her very first steps through Kanto.

Music permeated the air and Kalani smiled. As she entered the village, she noticed the singing and drumming was accompanied by dancers and fire poi performers. She climbed the steps into the town just as two young trainers stepped into the ring. A young boy, practically vibrating with excitement, threw out a PokeBall. “Go, Rowlet!” A small owl with an unbelievably adorable bowtie appeared in front of him. 

The girl across from him offered a shy smile, tossing a PokeBall of her own out. It produced a black and red kitten with large yellow eyes. Kalani smiled watching the two trainers issue commands and pulled a small notepad from her backpack. She took notes on the shapes of the Pokemon as they battled, including rough sketches. After a few minutes, the little owl fainted to the kitten’s Ember attacks and the boy sent out a Pichu. The Pichu managed to inflict paralysis on the cat, but in the end couldn’t withstand the flames. It too fainted and the girl was declared the victor by Hala.

Moon and Hau, as Kalani learned were their names, were two of a handful of trainers who would wake up in the morning and set off on their first Pokemon journey. Kalani looked around at the group of kids. The girl, Moon, was quiet but almost unnervingly observant of her surroundings, even locking eyes with Kalani at one point, who offered a small smile and wave. The boy she battled, Hau, was everywhere. He flitted through the crowd, cheering for the other trainers as they battled and at one point, offered a play-by-play at Kalani’s elbow complete with color commentary.

“Hey, cousin, you got any Pokemon?!” He tugged at Kalani’s elbow. 

Kalani looked down and nodded. “Sure do! Why do you ask?”

Hau lit up like a Christmas tree, which was impressive, considering Kalani didn’t think he could get any more excited. “You should battle someone too! Like Grampa Hala! Yeah!” And before Kalani could offer any protests, Hau was dragging her by the arm to the ringside where Hala was overseeing the festivities.

Hau caught his grandfather’s attention, rapidly firing off his request. Hala grinned and turned to Kalani. “So, what do you think? Think you can handle a battle with me?” The glint in his eyes made a bead of sweat trickle down her temple.

“Well,” she laughed nervously, “I don’t feel like I have much of a choice now, but I’ll do my best.”

The Kahuna nodded and once the previous combatants cleared the ring, he and Kalani stepped forward.

 

 

Kalani took a deep breath to clear her nerves. She had no idea what to expect from the Kahuna, except that maybe he would use fighting types, if what she saw when she met him this morning was anything to go by.

Sure enough, Hala’s first choice was a massive Hariyama. Kalani ran down the list in her mind of Pokemon she had on her and settled for Reuniclus, the only psychic type she had with her. She would just have to hope that Hala’s Hariyama didn’t know any dark type moves.

Kalani sent Reuniclus out and immediately called for Psychic, but Hala was quicker. Hariyama fired off a Fake Out, causing her Pokemon to flinch. Before Reuniclus could recover, Hariyama squeezed in a Knock Off. Poor Reuniclus was already looking tired after just those two attacks, but was finally able to fire back, dealing out a heavy dose of Hariyama’s own medicine. The Pokemon clashed again and once the dust cleared, Reuniclus looked ready to drop, but Hariyama was out cold.

Hala recalled it and sent out a Machamp. It went for a Cross Chop, but Reuniclus managed to just barely dodge it before firing off another Psychic. Machamp went back in and this time the blow was accurate. Reuniclus was obviously ready to faint, but she turned back, making eye contact with Kalani before landing one last Psychic on it, and Machamp returned to its ball.

“Great job, Reuniclus! Hang in there!” Kalani cheered as Hala sent out a large bear Pokemon that Kalani wasn’t familiar with. She hoped it was also a fighting type as it reared back, ready to strike with Hammer Arm. Reuniclus managed to duck under its arm and fire a devastating shock of energy before the bear turned. This time Reuniclus was unable to dodge the blow and fainted. 

Kalani felt a twinge of guilt as the Pokemon fainted and praised her as she returned. “Go! Mismagius!” The eerie ghost type floated out of its ball. “Power Gem!”  
The Pokemon across from her looked tired and sure enough, that was enough to fell it. Hala recalled it with a grin and sent out Poliwrath, which immediately made Kalani glad she hadn’t gone with Emboar.

Kalani called her next move at the same time as Hala, but Mismagius landed a hit with Shadow Ball first. Poliwrath fired back with a Payback that sent Mismagius reeling. Kalani knew that the next turn would see Mismagius faint, but it landed one more Shadow Ball before Poliwrath downed it. 

Kalani tossed out the next ball, and Gogoat landed in the arena to immediately be struck with a Poison Jab. It stumbled hard, but Kalani called for it to counter with a Horn Leech. Poliwrath fainted while Gogoat absorbed some of its health.

Hala’s next Pokemon was a hulking crab, another Alolan native that Kalani didn’t know anything about. Gogoat was able to just barely out-speed it and land a Leaf Blade, but the other Pokemon nearly shrugged it off before slugging Gogoat with an Ice Hammer. It was a one-hit KO for the unfortunate grass type, but it gave Kalani an idea as she tossed out her next Pokemon.

“You’ve got this, Emboar! Flamethrower!” The giant pig blazed a swath of fire that hit the other Pokemon and Kalani was pleased to see that she was right. The crab fell and Hala recalled it, shaking his head with a grin.

“Nicely done, young lady!” Hala walked over to shake her hand and she hoped that he couldn’t feel the slight tremble of it. She reached up to pat Emboar’s head, careful to avoid the flames around his collar, before putting him away.

“Thanks so much. That was a really exciting battle!” She shook out her hands to dispel the remaining adrenaline. “Mind if I walk back to the Center and heal my team? I’ll come right back.”

Hala nodded and Kalani thanked him, turning toward the path, but was interrupted by Hau. His mouth was running a mile a minute and Kalani struggled to keep up with the chatter. She answered his questions the best she could and then made the brisk walk down to the Center.

 

 

The rest of the festival was much the same, young trainers squaring off against each other in what were likely their first battles and more experienced trainers getting wrapped up in the excitement of it all and having matches of their own.

“Hey, cousin,” Kukui found her after a match of his own. “Don’t forget to stop by in the morning.”

Kalani nodded quickly. “Thank you again for your help.”

“No problem,” he waved his hand before walking off, being hounded by a few of the children as he went.

Kalani noticed the festival was beginning to wind down, so she made her own exit, returning to the Pokemon Center and bedding down for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I'm really starting to get back the flow of writing a story versus writing a paper. I'm really proud of how this chapter turned out. I use a battle simulator to map the battles out and Reuniclus going ham was an unexpected but welcome surprise.
> 
> Also in Kalani's party today were a Vanilluxe and Klinklang, if anyone was curious. Her last two parties were decided completely by random chance, but she's getting nerfed in the next chapter per her agreement with Hala for the Island Challenge.


End file.
